Zuccini in Chili
I have all of the ingredients for chili, except I only have half of one green bell pepper. I do, however have three enormous fresh local zucchini.
What if I use the bell pepper half and also add one of the zucchini? How do you think this would this affect the flavor and texture?
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19 Comments:
Please excuse my misspelling of zucchini in the title. Oops!
yayfood at 2:25PM on 08/20/09
@yayfood:
MEH.
This isn't Serious Grammar community don't be so hard on yourself! :D
Anyway aha
I say go for it.
You may want to drain some of the liquid from the zucs before you add them to the dish since they tend to hold a lot of moisture that could make the chili watery. You can do this by sprinkling some coarse salt over them after to cut them, allow them to sit for about 30 mins, drain (ensure you squeezem) and maybe rince a bit quickly.
I'm all for zucchini in the chili.
Carrots and celery in chili? Not for me thanks. Could just be a personal thing. Also if you think your chilis missing the "bell pepper" flavour you don't have you could also try adding some prepared salsa if you have some in the frige-door.
Hope it works out!
hungrychristel at 2:41PM on 08/20/09
I share your pain. It drives me crazy when I see a typo in something I wrote and I can't fix it.
Zucchini is a regular in my chili. So are all sorts of beans, peppers, onions, and celery. So not exactly the traditional Texas Red, but I like it. I just put the zucchini in later than the other veggies since I'd prefer it if they didn't totally fall apart.
@hungrychristel, I put whatever salsa I need to finish in my chili too.
blackolive at 3:03PM on 08/20/09
I'm going to put a raincoat and riot gear on first before the chili nazis come out.
Go for it. I've never tried it, but why not? Chili, like stews and soups, was probably invented as another inexpensive way to get rid of stuff before going bad.
If it gets a little too watered down to your liking, you can always use corn flour (not meal) to thicken. I love the corn flavor and texture.
I'm one of those who adds some celery to chili, as well as chili beans. I've finally won my husband over to adding a little corn.
Cassaendra at 3:14PM on 08/20/09
I think the slight sweetness of the flesh and the bitterness of the skin would work nicely with chili spices. You could saute it first and get some lovely carmelized bits to add some extra depth of flavor. That would also get out some of the moisture. I'm sure that regardless of what you do the the zukes, they'll be a yummy addition. Let us know how it works out.
ProfessorChaos at 5:19PM on 08/20/09
The more the merrier.
pjracz10 at 5:26PM on 08/20/09
I've made a ground beef and vegetable stew that had copious amounts of chili powder in it and the flavors, including the zucchini, worked great together. Not a traditional chili, but it tasted good, and that's what mattered to me.
cycorider at 6:54PM on 08/20/09
It worked out nicely. It added a firm, almost crunchy texture and a mild bitterness which worked well with the beef and spices, just as @ProfessorChaos mentioned. I diced the zucchini, then followed @hungrychristel's advice and salted, rinsed and drained it. That's a great tip, I never would have thought of it. Thank you!
It was a pretty big zucchini - maybe a pound - so I ended up adding only half. Maybe I'll saute the rest tomorrow in olive oil and sea salt.
Thank you!
yayfood at 8:19PM on 08/20/09
I am a chili nazi and I'll slap your hand if you reach for that zucchini.
Zucchini only belongs with the bean sprout and kale set.
tusti at 11:24AM on 08/21/09
LOL
Cassaendra at 1:32PM on 08/21/09
Know ZooKeeknee inn mi chilly pleez!!! Take that you spell checking grammar nazis!
Pavlov at 9:06AM on 08/22/09
@pav LOL - there's no place for checking grammar nazis on a passionate blog like SeriousEats!
hungrychristel at 10:30AM on 08/24/09
parden mi skwashes... ;)
yayfood at 2:03PM on 08/24/09
We do a "white chicken chili" recipe that calls for zuccini. I say go for it, too! YUM!
jmoilanen at 11:08AM on 08/25/09
Micheal Chiarello has an awesome chicken chili recipe that has loads of zucchini in it. I swear by it and get rave reviews every time i make it.
biabiaboiler at 2:22PM on 08/25/09
It will change the texture somewhat but who cares? It's summer zucchini chili!
Add a small can of green chiles for more "bell pepper" flavor. That's what I do when low on fresh peppers.
CJ McD at 5:08PM on 08/25/09
I have absolutely made a red veggie chili with zucchini in. YUM! (It had beef too, veggie chili, not vegetarian chili...)
AliceBlue at 5:43PM on 08/25/09
LOL @ chili nazis...when I moved down to Ohio, apparently a lot of people put mushrooms in chili. Now I lovelovelove mushrooms so I don't mind, but I still get surprised when I find them in chili.
Glad to hear the zucchini thing worked out well too. My favorite zucchini recipe - for the leftovers - is sliced, spread in baking dish, sliced tomatoes on top, and finally slices of sharp cheddar cheese. Bake till zucchini is tender. Yum...
akk328 at 1:16PM on 08/31/09
Unclean! Unclean! It ain't chili if it's got that zucchini in it! It may taste great but call it something else cuz it ain't chili! Sorry. I'm just particular about my chili. But then what do I know, I like beans in my chili (which will really tick off the chili nazis!).
hkydiva at 2:16PM on 09/01/09